The Dallas Mavericks had the worst injury luck late in their series against the Clippers, losing Maxi Kleber to a shoulder injury for several weeks and Luka Doncic's knee injury lingering.
This is less than ideal heading into the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Kleber's injury could hurt this team more than people realize.
The Mavs will be without Clever and possibly Olivier-Maxence Prosper for the entire Thunder series, but they could get one of their key pieces back in this series.
Tim Hardaway Jr. sprained his ankle in Game 2 against the Clippers, but he was on the verge of returning when it relapsed during mid-series practice, but he could return early in the series against the Thunder.
Jason Kidd revealed that Hardaway Jr. returned to practice on Sunday, which is a big sign of improvement in terms of his potential return. The Mavs need a third scorer behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, and the return of Hardaway Jr. could make that happen.
Hardaway Jr. didn't play particularly well when healthy in the Clippers series, but the Thunder series could be the perfect time to break out of the shooting slump he's been suffering from (subscription required). be.
The Mavs will need to be at their best to beat Oklahoma City and advance to the Western Conference Finals, and Hardaway Jr.'s shooting comeback could be the perfect recipe for that.
It's unclear when Hardaway Jr. will return to action, but practicing on Sunday is a great sign that he will return at some point in Dallas' series against the Thunder.
Stay tuned for updates on Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
